Stephen Hou's Website - Taiwan

National Flag

[ROC Flag]

The National Flag consists of a white sun in blue sky against a red background. The sun design was created by Lu Hao-tun, a martyr of the Chinese Revolution, in 1895. On May 5, 1921, the current ROC flag was adopted, replacing the five-striped flag that represented China's five major ethnic groups. The 12 points of the sun represent the 12 2-hour periods of the day, symbolizing continuous progress. The colors of the flag represent national goals of the Three Principles of the People: blue signifies brightness, purity, and freedom; white signifies honesty, selflessness, and equality; and red signifies sacrifice, bloodshed, and equality.

National Anthem

The words of the National Anthem were written by Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and were delivered at the opening ceremony of the Whampoa Military Academy on June 24, 1924. The tune was composed by Cheng Mao-yun. At the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, the ROC National Anthem was honored as the world's best national anthem. The score can be found here.

National Flower

The plum blossom, prunus mei, was officially designated by the Executive Yuan of the Central Government to be the national flower on July 21, 1964. The plum blossom, which produces shades of pink and white and gives off a delicate fragrance, has great symbolic value for the Chinese people because of its resilience in harsh winter weather. The triple grouping of stamens (one long and two short) represents Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles of the People, while the five petals symbolize the five branches of the ROC government.